The Weight of Reality
by Lazy Tobi
Summary: Random one-shots, most being Team Gai, NejiTen, NaruHina, ShikaTema, or LeeSaku. Other random pairings will also be in here.
1. Team Gai 100 Sentences

**In Universe**/Alternate Universe  
**Rating**: K/K+ for character death  
**Pairings**: NejiTen, LeeSaku and a few pokes at NaruHina  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own the themes (… who does? o_o")

Team Gai: 100 Sentences

1. _Introduction_

The only introduction needed when they formed a Genin team was their dreams, however scrambled they were at the time.

2. _Love_

Neji said he'd never love, but he ended up loving all three oddballs.

3. _Light_

The only lights they ever needed were ones to use to travel into their souls, unlit by dreams and hopes that had been swept away or hidden for a time.

4. _Dark_

It was a dark day when the first team promise was broken in the Chunin exams; Lee and TenTen lost in the first round of battles, and Neji decided to ignore his promise not to try to kill Hinata.

5. _Seeking Solace_

If one were to travel into one of Konoha's most remote training grounds and stumble upon a flowing river with a man-made pool, broken and fallen trees, target dummies, and abandoned fishing poles, they'd find the habitué where they sought solace.

6. _Break Away_

All of them, including Gai, were caged birds waiting to break away and fly free.

7. _Heaven_

Heaven cried for her namesake the day she though she'd lost her two boys forever.

8. _Innocence_

Poor Lee's innocence was lost when Gai told them about the birds and the bees; it was a very scarring incident for all but Gai since he though Lee and Neji were dating.

9. _Drive_

The lost drive from their unlit souls was renewed when new dreams were found or the old ones came back from their hiding place; never again did Konoha set eyes on such a determined team.

10. _Breathe Again_

Only when both of her boys regained consciousness was when TenTen could breathe once more.

11. _Memory_

On Sunday, for thirty minutes every week, the team visited the graves of the fallen to celebrate the memories of their lost parents, or, in Gai's case, comrades.

12. _Insanity_

They were called insane for their harsh, relentless training schedule, yet that same schedule made them rise faster and higher than the rest.

13. _Misfortune_

Gai knew of all the misfortunes placed on his student's shoulders, but he always kept a positive attitude just for them to never let them to follow the steps of Uchiha, Sasuke into revenge.

14. _Smile_

Gai's most prized possession was not a special weapon or jutsu, but a picture of his team, the one they got after all three had been named Chunin, and all (including Neji, who wore a half-hearted, faint, sad smile) were smiling.

15. _Silence_

Neji kept his silence when he realized TenTen, who probably didn't realize it herself, loved him just like he kept his silence when he saw how Sakura gave Lee loving looks when they saw her.

16. _Questioning_

Lee never realized Sakura loved him for quite a while, but he realized, like Neji, that TenTen loved said teammate before she did and questioned her on her denial.

17. _Blood_

TenTen knew she loved Neji in a different way than Lee when he went on his third solo mission and came back with his white robes stained with a rust color pooling about his left shoulder.

18. _Rainbow_

There was a rainbow present in the sky when Lee finally realized Sakura, who was in hysterics when he returned from his first solo mission bleeding heavily, loved him. 

19. _Gray_

Neji, who seemed to lack colors, explained once to his team that he liked the color gray (or silver) since it portrayed all the colors in the world because every color combined, with out white, was black, but if you added white then, it became gray.

20. _Fortitude_

They found out Neji's fortitude was not as strong as they believed when he didn't let either of them near TenTen when she got gravely wounded and demanded that they go back to Konoha.

21. _Vacation_

Team Gai never asked for a vacation because, if they did, they'd have nothing to do since their lives revolved about getting stronger.

22. _Mother Nature_

They found out their natures were in tune with their favorite season; Gai loved spring, Lee loved summer, TenTen loved fall, and Neji loved winter.

23. _Cat_

No one said a word as they had to redo the first mission they ever did as punishment for not taking a vacation; the poor thing lost eight lives when it was scared by them catching it in a record 57 seconds after they had been assigned the mission.

24. _No Time_

There was no time for them to see Neji after he became an ANBU Black Op captain at age 17, even on their ritual Sunday 30-minute commute.

25. _Trouble Lurking_

Gai knew something was up when he started sneezing every day at exactly the same time; Team Gai, though not a solid team anymore, found out he was correct when Kakashi carried his bloody, battered body back to Konoha solemnly.

26. _Tears_

There weren't any tears shed by any of the three at his funeral, knowing their former sensei wouldn't allow them to if he were there.

27. _Foreign_

Love was a foreign feeling to Neji when he saw TenTen's melancholy face and felt the need to hug her.

28. _Sorrow_

Lee had never felt as much sorrow as he had before Gai's death than he did after, but he kept on his brave, flamboyant face in futile hope that no one would notice his settling depression.

29. _Happiness_

Even Neji, though thoroughly busy, tried to regain Lee's happiness; only Sakura was able to, however, by giving him a long, heartfelt hug.

30. _Under the Rain_

Both males on Team Gai got their first kisses under a blanket of rain, as if Gai was watching from above and dispelling tears of joy.

31. _Flowers_

It was a mystery to Neji who gave him flowers until he read the card that said they were for Hinata (he severely punished the carrier who was unfortunate enough to make the mistake in his presence.)

32. _Night_

It was night when Lee and TenTen got their letters that told them they'd been admitted into the ANBU Black Ops, put into Neji's squadron (they knew Tsunade had a few words in that queer occurrence).

33. _Expectations_

Their expectations for Neji's training schedule fell short of what he actually made them do, smirking evilly the whole first two days they were under his wing.

34. _Stars_

It was under a blanket of stars when Neji decided to stop training, send everyone but Lee and TenTen home, and reminisce with them lying in the grass.

35. _Hold My Hand_

At Lee's wedding, Neji had a strange request for TenTen, but she complied all the while smiling.

36. _Precious Treasure_

Lee and TenTen finally realized Neji loved them with all his being when he almost died for his "precious treasures."

37. _Eyes_

TenTen never looked him in the eyes after that.

38. _Abandoned_

Lee felt abandoned when they drifted apart once more when he and TenTen got moved to separate squadrons.

39. _Dreams_

After his dreams became "wet" ones did Neji realize, though he'd kissed her before, that he really did love TenTen.

40. _Rated_

The yearly ANBU rating passed with Neji as number one, Lee as number five, and TenTen as number six.

41. _Teamwork_

The solid proof behind Lee's fears of abandonment was their teamwork, once the best from all five great ninja nations, had faltered when they had a mission together after almost half a year of not seeing each other.

42. _Standing Still_

Though they were the best, they seemed to stand still as they watched each other get struck down, one by one.

43. _Dying_

All three of them knew they were dying, but the only thing they rued over was standing still.

44. _Two Roads_

For a dying warrior, there are two roads: fight to live, or just die; they chose the former.

45. _Illusion_

After the scarring mission was finished, Lee saw Gai as he walked out of the hospital, finally released, tears streaming from his face that clearly read his disappointment.

46. _Family_

After that illusion, Lee started a new family with Sakura at 19, thanking Gai's spirit for keeping them alive for that long.

47. _Creation_

Neji knew he was at fault for the failed mission, creating the rift between the three of them, and created a bridge to mend said rift by organizing a dinner every other week just for them.

48. _Childhood_

Lee knew when his first child was born that he'd make sure it's childhood would not be like his, TenTen's, or Neji's shoddy ones.

49. _Stripes_

TenTen presented to her ex-team in the fall with scarves striped with maroon, green, and gray.

50. _Breaking the Rules_

Neji knew he was breaking the Hyuuga rules when he and TenTen made love the same night.

51. _Sport_

Neji and Lee were good sports, or so they hoped, by wearing their "team scarves" as TenTen had dubbed them.

52. _Deep in Thought_

TenTen went deep into her own mind when Sakura informed her, after her physical, that she as pregnant.

53. _Keeping a Secret_

As she rarely saw Lee or Neji, TenTen didn't tell either and got Sakura to keep her mouth shut.

54. _Tower_

Lee seemed to tower over Sakura until she confessed TenTen's secret, giving him the shock of his life (so far).

55. _Waiting_

Neji waited for TenTen in her apartment for a whole day until she returned home form training after Lee confessed to him.

56._ Danger Ahead_

Lee was horrified when Sakura went into labor, knowing it was best to keep his distance from her bed.

57. _Sacrifice_

TenTen aborted the baby as soon as she could, knowing Neji could be killed for bedding unwed.

58. _Kick in the Head_

Lee (and Sakura) kicked her in the head when he found out, screaming to her how unyouthful it was.

59. _No Way Out_

Neji, finding no clear was out of his situation (unknowing of the abortion), proposed to TenTen.

60. _Rejection_

She said no.

61. _Fairy Tale_

Lee's new fairy tale, other than having his son become number one in the Academy when the time came, was to sort out the new problems in his former team (again).

62. _Magic_

As if by magic, it came true.

63. _Do Not Disturb_

He was scarred for life when he walked in on them.

64. _Multitasking_

Lee started having to multitask when Sakura's maternal leave was over with.

65. _Horror_

Neji, to say the least, was horrified at the first glance he got of Ichigo (Lee's two week old son) – it was the same reaction to Lee at Adam when they first met.

66. _Traps_

To TenTen's immense delight, Neji got caught in one of her traps when he broke into her apartment when she was out.

67. _Playing the Melody_

She was also delighted to watch over Ichigo when Lee and Sakura went out on a mission together, playing the lullaby her mother had once played for her when it was his bedtime.

68. _Hero_

Lee quickly became his son's hero in life – for reasons no one knew since he was almost always dropping Ichigo.

69. _Annoyance_

To Neji's annoyance, he was asked to babysit more often than not when neither parent could care for him.

70. _67%_

When the told Team Gai got assigned a mission with 67% of fatality, they saw it as 67% of a challenge.

71. _Obsession_

TenTen became Neji's obsession during that mission, always making sure she was okay.

72. _Mischief Managed_

When they returned and Neji caught Naruto and a very red Hinata leaving him room saying, "Mischief managed," he was correct to be suspicious.

73. _I Can't_

He asked TenTen again to marry him when he found her cutting the bindings on her wrists, severely underdressed and on his bed; she said only two words, "… I can't."

74. _Are You Challenging Me?_

The next day Neji felt Naruto was challenging him to marry TenTen before he married Hinata.

75. _Mirror_

Lee was ecstatic when Sakura let him trim their son's thick, fast growing red hair into a mirror image of his own style.

76. _Broken Pieces_

He was the only one to show up for their usual team dinner that week, wondering if they could, once again, mend the frayed bonds his old Genin team had.

77. _Test_

Lee and TenTen tried to test his theory of mending the pieces, but Neji seemed to want to blatantly fail.

78. _Drink_

TenTen decided to try alcohol the next night, finding out she was the only one on her ex-team that could hold it well.

79. _Starvation_

That was what she thought; in a drunken stupor, she realized she was satisfying Neji's starvation of her in mere hours of consuming high quantities of alcohol.

80. _Words_

It terrified her when he said those choice three words and she found herself saying the same.

81. _Pen and Paper_

Lee handwrote invitations to his son's first birthday party, purposely infuriating his ex-teammates by addressing one to 'Hyuuga, TenTen'.

82. _Can You Hear Me?_

He then wondered if his son was deaf when the party happened the next week… Ichigo was.

83. _Heal_

Lee was thankful Sakura was able to heal his tearing heart from all his stress with one of her long, (rare) heartfelt hugs.

84. _Out Cold_

He promptly fainted when Sakura said she was pregnant again.

85. _Spiral_

Lee realized his life would soon spiral out of control when he woke.

86. _Seeing Red_

Neji saw red when TenTen finally agreed to marry him the night Lee informed them of his second child.

87. _Food_

Lee was sad to say he missed out on food since his second child soon took effect on Sakura's eating habits.

88. _Pain_

TenTen was petrified when she felt stomach pains and got morning sickness.

89. _Through the Fire_

Neji stayed with her through her fiery fear when she got examined for pregnancy.

90. _Triangle_

Lee arrived in the middle of the procedure, completing their triangle.

91. _Drowning_

TenTen thought she was drowning in relief when the medic said she wasn't pregnant and only had the stomach bug.

92. _All That I Have_

Neji told her that she was all that he had, but she disagreed by pointing out all of the few friends he had.

93. _Give Up_

Lee was told by a nurse to give up on his second child after Sakura went to one of her routinely check-ups.

94. _Last Hope_

Lee and Sakura's last hope was a C-section when the nine months were up; they agreed to do it.

95. _Advertisement_

Neji was forced to advertise a happy (one-sided) double marriage for he and TenTen and Naruto and Hinata.

96. _In the Storm_

The weddings ended up happening in a thunderstorm, but Lee took it as a sign Gai was crying furiously and yelling youthfully as his adoptive daughter was given to Neji.

97. _Safety First_

When the time came, Lee made the medic triple check the safety procedures for Sakura's C-section.

98. _Puzzle_

Neji and TenTen did a puzzle, watching the one and a half year old Ichigo, during the procedure, mutely hoping for the best.

99. _Solitude_

Lee was grateful for the solitude he received when his second child was miscarried.

100. _Relaxation_

At age 21, all three found relaxation from their three different, stress-filled lives by finally resuming their original Sunday commute to their lost ones… they knew Gai was with them, visiting not his lost ones but his live ones, grinning his pinging grin, just for them.

**A/N**: _So, I'm starting this… jumble of one-shots/drabbles/vignettes with a Team Gai thing (quite fitting, I guess, since most will be related to them in some way, shape, or form). Not too sure what exactly it can be called… but, eh. These are the 100 themes from DeviantArt…_

_That last one might be a run-on, but what the hell. I hope it wasn't too centered about Neji, Lee, or TenTen... I did my best to divide up the themes between them all. Yeah. I'm far too lazy to attempt to draw 100 themed pics, so I settled for 100 themed sentences about my favorite team. :3 Hope you liked it._

_~ Tobi_


	2. Was it a Dream: KibaSasu

In Universe/**Alternate Universe**  
**Rating**: T  
**Pairings**: KibaSasu with many other yaoi pairings mentioned  
**Disclaimer**: I'm sure Kishimoto would have a heart attack if he saw this. ;D

- Was it a Dream? -

"Hey, Kiba…" Sasuke said, looking down at a picture between his blackened fingers. Until that moment, he'd been helping his boyfriend clean out his old, as in ages old, comic book collection. A photo had fallen out of a copy covered in mud and oil, revealing an affair of past boyfriends he never knew. Kiba soon appeared out of a pile of old X-Men comics, one cutely opened over his scruffy chocolate locks.

"You were sleeping, weren't you?" Sasuke deadpanned, ignoring the cuteness, of the scene and momentarily forgetting why he'd called for Kiba.

"N-No, 'course not, I – what's that?" Kiba, eager to get over the subject of him falling asleep, saw the little black paper between Sasuke's nimble fingers. From his point of view, it looked like an ordering card from the inside of an old issue of Shounen Jump his old man had kept. Kiba's collection was quite vast, ranging from Shoujo Beat to American comics like Spiderman and X-men. His reason behind cleaning out the old, stuffy room filled with said comics and manga magazines with his boyfriend was because he was moving in with said boy and needed to get rid of the crap he didn't need anymore form his apartment.

"Just a picture… of you and Naruto-baka." Sasuke said stiffly, reminding Kiba heavily of the Uchiha's long-time crush on the blond who dumped him over two years ago… for a girl. He scrambled over the leaning stacks of old comics, quickly taking the picture from Sasuke's hand. It looked like an innocent picture, Kiba blushing while Naruto kissed his cheek, showing their five-year-old selves before they knew it was wrong.

"I told you, the only people I've dated were Shino, Kankuro, and Hinata. If you want to count TenTen-san, go ahead, but, really, a date for five minutes into a movie before her self-appointed bodyguard showed up isn't much since we never went out again…" Kiba rambled, eyes glazing over at the picture. His sister had taken it, laughing at how gay her little brother was. Back then, he thought she meant happy. Now, he wasn't sure if he meant happy or the more commonly known definition of a male liking other males.

"You guys… look so happy…" Sasuke said, remembering the time before he started school, enviously watching Kiba and Naruto run around on the playground from a car he didn't even know why he was in. After he was eight, he never saw Naruto and Kiba playing together again since, well, he'd gotten the blond's affections.

"Yeah… back then he, Shikamaru, Choji and I skipped all the time…" Kiba remembered, wading in the memories of old. Naruto wasn't one to be tied down to anyone… not even his long-time crush, Sakura. He'd dated her for maybe two months before he got bored and, now, it was a surprise he proposed to Hinata, the girl he dumped Sasuke for over two years ago. Kiba couldn't help but wonder if he got to date him, what would have happened?

"Are you happy with me, Kiba?" Sasuke asked, seeing the lust in Kiba's dark brown eyes. Though he didn't look it, with the emo gangster bad ass look going on (or so he was told), Sasuke was an uke… and that was the problem with his relationship with Naruto. Naruto had told him when they were dating, that if he was dating a guy, he was an uke. Neither liked being a seme with other men, so their relationship fizzled out before it could begin. It was like when Sasuke dated Sai, Suigetsu, or Lee… only they were able to overcome their uke-ness and become semes. When Sasuke dated Shino, it wasn't a problem, but it made him wonder who was forced to be an uke when he found out Kiba had dated Shino. Kiba looked up at Sasuke, seeing the flawless, pale skin women often dreamed over, smooth, raven locks with dyed navy hi-lights many were envious of… and smiled softly. It was rare, to see the Uchiha so nervous.

"Of course, Sasuke." Kiba kissed him, then and there, sloppily over the old magazines and comics.

"We both know why you're dating me… because I remind you of Naruto, right?" Kiba said, when he broke the kiss, leaving the Uchiha hungry for more. Sasuke only raised an eyebrow, unable to admit he still lusted over Naruto.

"Well, it's the same for me. You two may seem like polar opposites, but, really, when you get down to it… you're alike in many ways. You both are obnoxious, impatient, proud, arrogant, trying to find your way in life, outcasts, shunned, and eager to fight. You're probably thinking to hell with that shit, there's still a lot of stuff that is different about you; and, you're right, but those are the qualities that attract me to you both. We're both after the same man who got tied down to my ex… at least you got to date him." He explained for the disbelieving Uchiha, not getting a response. He didn't expect any.

"Was it a dream?" Sasuke asked, bitterly, looking away.

"… I don't know."

**A/N**: _D'aw, Naru-chan is a little playboy. Poor Kiba and Sasuke… eh. Really short, I know, not even 1,000 words. And a lot of crack pairings (all yaoi XD)… deal with it, m'kays? You had the liberty not to read it, and you didn't listen to the voices telling you not to read it. Don't tell me you don't like KibaNaru or NaruSasu or LeeSasu or whatever, alright? I could probably care less. And Sasuke is so an uke. ;D_

_~ Tobi_


	3. Summertime: Team Gai

In Universe/**Alternate Universe**  
**Rating**: K+ for mild swearing (7 words, to be exact)  
**Pairings**: Possibly NejiTen if you squint  
**Disclaimer**: I am but just a mere fanfiction writer, not the owner of such a great series like Naruto.

- Summertime -

"_Hey, Hyuuga-san, go get that hick." Kiba cackled, pointing openly at a girl lounging on the beach. Neji's lips twitched slightly downward, looking at the girl. He knew Kiba must have tried her at an earlier date and gotten shot down because those were the only girls he was ever told to "go get". To hell with girls, he didn't even know why he joined the mutt on his beach extravaganza. He didn't particularly like Kiba, he hated the beach, he hated the rabid cougars, he hated the rabid teenage girls – Neji basically hated everything about the summer, down to every annoying grain of sand that _always_ ended up in his pants. _

_Immersed in his thoughts about hating anything summer-like, Neji forgot Kiba was there, waiting for him to move. The hard push he received into the sea wall reminded him of said fact, and he almost growled._

"_Go on, Hyuuga-san, unless you're _scared_." Kiba taunted, grinning wolfishly as Neji vaulted himself over the sea wall, ignoring the shout of the lifeguard. It'd make his day, really, if he got banned from the beach for jumping it. The sand heaped up in large piles against the wall slid beneath his Converse, sending Neji onto his bum and sliding down the small hill amidst Kiba's maniacal laughter. It wasn't one of Neji's best ideas, but he'd do anything to avoid the cougar watching him avidly from the stairs down to the beach. He was sure she'd attempt to do something, and the thought was unappealing to him. With a sinking feeling, Neji realized he'd just doubled the amount of sand that'd regularly get into his pants from his little… stunt. _Definitely_ not one of his best ideas. Though, on the plus side, the girl who Kiba wanted him to "go get" had turned around and was watching him with amusement._

"_What are you looking at, country hick?" Neji asked, glaring at her. It annoyed him that his glare, frosty as an arctic wind, and harsh words didn't wipe the smile off her face._

"_A stupid city boy, why? Does it concern you?" The banter, he later realized was the beginning of a… flirt-fest, so to speak. Neji grunted his, "Hn," standing up and brushing the sand off the seat of his pants and then shaking his wrists to free his long sleeves of any gathered sand. The girl rolled her honey brown eyes, standing up and walking over to him. Neji froze as she roughly pat the sides of his legs down, relieving him of any outward signs of sand on his pants._

"_There. God, you don't know how to get rid of sand, do you?" The girl smiled at him with a warm look as she walked back to her towel, almost inviting Neji to join her. It was then Neji realized Kiba had long stopped laughing and was gawking. Flipping him the one finger salute, Neji slowly walked over to the girl._

"_I'm TenTen." She held out a delicate hand, frowning slightly when Neji didn't take it nor respond._

"_You're supposed to say your name back and shake my hand, baka. Or are you one of those city guys that do that weird hug thing?" Neji, one eye twitching at the accusation of giving a "guy hug" or whatever they were called, roughly shook her hand._

"_Hyuuga." He said, dropping down into the sand next to her, ignoring the stare he was receiving from Kiba._

"_Your friend—"_

"—_He's not my friend."_

"_Well, whatever, that guy – Kiba-san, wasn't it? – sent you, didn't he? To get back at me, right?" TenTen asked, watching the ocean rather than her odd companion. Frankly, it amused her greatly to see him clad in pants and a turtleneck sweater when the guy he'd come with was only wearing board shorts._

"_Yes. Though I'm doubting you honestly care since you were the one that came up to me in the first place." Neji said, sitting erect in a criss-cross-applesauce fashion. TenTen gave a bark of laughter, slim shoulders shaking._

"_Perhaps I just thought you needed help out of your infantile attempts at freeing your pants of sand." She said, glancing at him with a challenging look._

"_Perhaps your earlier assumption was correct." Neji, knowing it was childish, retorted back. TenTen held her hands up in a defeated way, chuckling._

"_No need to be snippy, Hyuuga-san. Do you have a first name, by the way? Because I'd much rather call you by that." She said, reclining back onto the palms of her hands and watching him curiously. His whole body seemed tense, out of habit rather than being in her presence, reminding her of a certain billionaire businessman… Hyuuga, Hiashi. Neji gave her a small look before looking up to watch a seagull fly overhead._

"_Neji. And I am not Hiashi-sama's son." He'd seen the sudden recognition in her eyes and would rather refrain from talking about his family._

"_Well, Neji-kun, you look like his younger carbon copy. Just saying. Anyways, aren't you hot?" She took his not so subtle hint to not ask him about Hiashi and found a new subject in his choice of clothing._

"_If being hot is the price to pay, I'd much rather be covered than be drooled over." He smirked slightly as TenTen fell onto her back, laughing. She was an odd one, he knew, wearing a blood red bikini top and obsidian short-short swimming shorts lined with white.(1)_

"_So, you're 'paying the price' of being hot for being hot?" TenTen laughed, grinning at him. She liked the smirk much better than the straight line his lips once had been._

"_In a nutshell, yes." He said, eyebrows twitching downward slightly. It was almost like he was laughing, and TenTen found that adorable._

"_Well, Neji-kun, I'm sure you're not that hot. Come on, show dearest TenTen-chan your every secret underneath your winter clothes. I'm sure you're not _that_ ugly." She teased, poking his side._

"_You sound like a psychiatrist. And, perhaps another time. There is this one cougar who won't take her eyes off me." It was strange, Neji realized, that he was actually talking to the girl. Usually, he wouldn't talk to anyone, especially girls. They tended to… go over the top with him, but she was just treating him like a normal guy friend. With the sudden realization, Neji snapped mentally to get himself back to reality. He was needed to sell ice cream at two, and it was already quarter past one, according to his vibrating cell phone._

"_Someone calling you?" TenTen asked, hearing the vibrating phone. Neji shook his head slightly._

"_A reminder that I need to get to the 1:30 train back to Konoha." He explained, standing up. TenTen smirked, getting to her knees and relieving Neji of the sand on his pants everywhere but his bum._

"_That, I'm afraid, I can't touch in case you jiggle." She teased, giving Neji a mock salute in farewell._

"_Hn." He brushed the seat of his pants off, turning around in an almost embarrassed way, knowing she'd watch him until she couldn't see him anymore._

"_Hey, maybe I'll see you around, Neji-kun."_

"_Hn. Perhaps."_

Neji couldn't help but replay the scene of his last beach visit in his head as he walked on the sea wall with Lee, wondering remotely if he'd ever see TenTen again. Other than Lee, she was the first person he actually "clicked" with. Never the optimist, Neji didn't believe he'd ever see her again, and his thoughts idly moved over to how he'd gotten conned into going to the beach. Shirtless. In board shorts only. He'd gotten more looks already than he had coming in pants and a sweater, and that was saying something. Neji also had a feeling the lifeguard on duty remembered him since he wouldn't stop watching them with a keen gaze as they walked on the sea wall.

"Lee-san, why—" Lee interrupted Neji's quiet question by shoving the younger boy over the side of the wall. His landing wasn't as graceful as his first time, sloppily loosing his balance in the sliding sand and rolling down the hill instead of sliding.

"NE!" Oh, yeah, the lifeguard did remember him. To hell with that guy, though, Neji had more pressing matter to attend to.

"Lee-san, what the he—" Once again, Neji was interrupted, but this time he got his square in the back of the head with a well-aimed soccer ball. Summoning every ounce of self control he had, Neji turned around, hand jumping to the back of his skull. The glare, twitching right eye, and smirk actually did wipe TenTen's smile off her face.

"Ano, bad time?" She laughed sheepishly, wondering if she should run. Though she'd only talked to him or about fifteen to twenty minutes just about three years previous, she knew Neji was _not_ happy.

"I'm going to kill both of you." Perhaps it was the fact his spirits soared with the birds when he saw her, perhaps it was the lifeguard climbing down form his post, maybe it was Lee laughing jovially, maybe it was the annoying sand sticking to his skin, or perhaps all of the above – whatever the cause, Neji started chasing TenTen down the beach, deciding to kill her first. It was a shameful act, really, and any self-respecting Hyuuga would never do it. But Neji did it anyways, loving the way TenTen screamed as she turned and ran, obviously terrified. Not too long after the chase started, he tackled her to the ground, smirking at her laughter.

"Okay, Neji-kun, you won, just do—wait! Wait! Put me down! Ass hole!" TenTen started yelling again when Neji hefted her onto his shoulder as he stood, fists pounding into the sinewy muscles on his back. He trudged, purposely shifting her body on his shoulder every few seconds to make her uncomfortable as he could, into the ocean until he was knee-deep and threw TenTen's tanned, lithe body into the water. Neji could hardly repress a smirk at her scream that got interrupted by her splashing into the water. She surfaced soon, pulling a face and spitting water form her pouting lips.

"Oh, god, Neji-kun, that was definitely overkill. Ughhhh…" TenTen stood, rubbing her eyes furiously and hacking. Salt water was definitely the worst thing she'd ever tasted, including pig uterus. (2)

"You planned this with Lee-san." Neji stated, walking back to the sand, which he liked better than the sea, stretching out his arms and back. TenTen, sneezing furiously trying to rid her nostrils of the salt water, followed his lead.

"Yeah. I met him via text messaging. He had the wrong number for your new phone, and, well, we then talked on IM since I said I knew a Neji-san but wasn't one… and viola, instant friends." She explained, voice a bit hoarse. Neji nodded, eyes trained on Lee's figure descending to the beach on the stairs.

"Do you wish to join me in getting Lee-san back?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder. TenTen, whose face was still pulled at the sea's awful taste, brightened.

"Hell yes!" She cackled, rubbing her hands together. Both of them enjoyed the task of getting Lee several times with her soccer ball before chasing him down and throwing him, screaming, into the ocean. He came up in a similar style to TenTen, sputtering and eyes watering.

"That was not called for!" Lee shouted, sniffling (then severely regretting it), pointing a finger dramatically at his smirking and cackling friends.

"Karma is a bitch, Lee-san." Neji said suavely, turning heel and walking back to where he saw TenTen's things deposited. TenTen followed, holding her stomach in laughter, and finally Lee came to his senses, realizing sitting in knee-deep water was not a good way to get said water out of his eyes, mouth, and nose. TenTen told him the best ways she knew of getting rid of the taste or burning sensation (drinking something, sneezing purposely until the burning stopped, and letting his eyes water for a bit) before she faced him questioningly.

"I got the impression when I last saw Neji-kun that he'd rather be caught dead than going to a beach in beach wear. How'd you do it?" She asked, smirking at an almost pouting Neji.

"Well, I youthfully stole all his clothes and put them in the youthful bath." Lee grinned, giving her a thumbs up. TenTen laughed, jabbing Neji between the ribs with her elbow.

"Neji-kun, I do believe you've received more stares today that the last time, so I have to agree with you. I'm betting if it weren't for me, some cougar would have already tried to make a move on you. Oh, and your ass does jiggle." TenTen, who could hardly contain her laughter while speaking, lost it with Lee when she was done. Neji closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. How he'd ever befriended Lee was beside him, but adding TenTen was too much.

"I am sorry that my body is normal in producing—"

"Oh, shut up, science geek." TenTen interrupted his monologue, pretending to gag. She, herself, could be considered a science geek, but it was the summer. TenTen wanted none of it. She yelped sharply when a cold finer prodded her between her ribs, body jumping ever so slightly closer to Lee on instinct.

"I prefer the word prodigy." With the teasing smirk he wore, TenTen found it hard not to laugh… so she did.

"Oh, god, you two are a comedy feat yourselves. How are you two not popular?" She asked, sighing contentedly. Lee had told her neither of them were too popular at Konoha Senior Gakuen, and she was quite surprised.

"I am only popular with the fan girls. The male population hates me for that, and the female population that do not fan girl me think I'm a bitch." Neji said, shrugging. He could care less, really.

"I am not youthfully popular since I am called Gai-sensei's pet. I cannot help but admire his youth and idolize him! It is not my fault! Though the youthful soccer team and our youthful fans like me." Lee explained, lying on his back.

"Okay… I guess that makes sense… but why do the girls who don't fan girl you think you're a bitch?" TenTen said, imitating Lee and lying on her back.

"… I asked a particularly annoying fan girl if she'd fallen from heaven… since it would explain her face.(3)" Neji said after a bit, not expecting the slap he received on the arm before the laughter he did expect.

"However annoying, you never tell a girl that, no matter how hilarious her face would have been." TenTen chided. She smirked at the sky, closing her eyes and savoring the sun's warm rays.

"I'm transferring this year… to some school you guys know pretty well. KSG, or the Senior Academy." She said after a bit of companionable silence fell between the three.

"… Hn." Neji couldn't bring himself to dread the thought of having both TenTen and Lee in his life at the same time, yet he couldn't quite love the idea, either. He was sure he'd go insane before his last school year at Konoha Senior Gakuen was done, though whether it was a good thing or a bad thing he wasn't sure.

"Yosh! How youthful! I must go do 500 push-ups to celebrate!" Lee yelled, leaping to his feet and going two yards away before dropping to the sand to do push-ups.

"Don't tell me he does crap like that often…" TenTen said, suddenly regretting her transfer to the Senior Academy.

"Unfortunately, he does. Get used to it, TenTen-san." She groaned playfully, causing Neji to smirk.

It would be a good year, their third year.

**A/N**:

_1) I have no idea what they're called, but their swim bottoms that go over a girl's bikini bottom (or she could just wear them and not the bikini bottom since it's got lining on the inside) and they're booty shorts that are made to swim in. I think they're sold at Academy, but don't hold me to it._

_2) Sorry if anyone likes pig uterus. I'm tempted to try it if I ever got to Tokyo. And, yes, people do grill it up and sell it. It's Tokyo's new comfort food for senior high school to college kids._

_3) I got that line (Did you fall from heaven? Because that'd explain your face.) from Tanya Lilac's high school one-shot. I'm not sure if she made it up or what._

_Oh, and the jump off the sea wall? It's pretty safe. No one does anything right up against the sea wall, and the drop down isn't very far (or mine isn't…) and the sand lies in large heaps right against it. Dried seaweed (which is very uncomfortable to walk on, mind you) doesn't reach it, either. I've seen a group of boys do it, too, and they got up afterwards with out any hassle. I'm not too sure what would happen if one was pushed, but, eh. I'm pretty sure one would be able to land on their feet and then tumble down, like I had Neji do._

_There really was no point behind this other than it's summertime and I wanted to write something inspired from Summertime by New Kids on the Block (which I don't own). XD It's just a Team Gai friendship with probably a dusting of NejiTen, but eh._

_~ Tobi_


	4. Blades: Neji and TenTen

In Universe/**Alternate Universe**  
**Rating**: T  
**Pairings**: NejiTen friendship, not really a pairing…  
**Disclaimer**: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called Lee. XD Neji would be the jack ass traitor, and TenTen would be Sakura.

**OOC Warning**: Neji is probably a bit too emo in the beginning. Eh, whatever.

- Blades -

..::_5. Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse._::..

TenTen smiled, almost laughing, when Neji's eyes narrowed at the sunlight.

"It's hot." He said simply, raising his left hand to shield his eyes. He was about as pale as the walls he kept himself in, looking sick with his slightly gaunt frame. Almost like a fragile china doll, but she'd never tell him that.

"When was the last time you were out, huh, Neji-kun? It's _always_ hot in Konoha!" TenTen laughed this time, her skin reflecting a different story than his. Her skin was tanned and her hair was sun kissed. She knew he hadn't seen her hair this light in a long time.

"… The last time you were here and made me come outside would be it." Neji sighed, arm falling limply to his side when his eyes grew accustomed to the bright light. TenTen pouted, poking him in the ribs, slightly scared at the way, even though it was just a brush against her knuckles, could feel each and every one of them.

"When did you last eat, stupid?" She asked, shuddering slightly. Neji always had something about him that could turn any sizzling day chilly. He was an odd character, way different than even the psychotic kids in her school.

"Yesterday morning." _Whap_. He glared at her, rubbing his right arm slightly. She glared back defiantly, crossing her arms across her nonexistent chest.

"You, Hyuuga, Neji-kun, will eat three meals a day, no questions, no buts. Got it? How can you enter judo competitions when you weigh too little?" TenTen asked, still glaring, though not into his pale blue eyes. When he was glaring (and sometimes just staring), they really freaked her out since they looked white and menacing.

"Hn." He grunted, not agreeing or disagreeing, letting her know he could care less. If he didn't want to eat, he wouldn't, simple as that.

"Ne, Neji-kun, why do you always keep your arm wrapped? And you leg? I know Hiashi-sama can't be beating you… and the day Hinata-chan does, no offense to her, will be the day hell freezes over." TenTen narrowed her eyes at the white Ace bandage tied around his right arm and leg suspiciously. She'd never seen him with out them. The shadows beneath Neji's eyes darkened slightly as his head tilted down, hands absentmindedly pushing back his bangs, undoing his hair tie, and then retying it. His lips were tilted downward somewhat as he thought about whether to tell her or not (or he could have been just thinking randomly about some algebraic expression or something). TenTen waited patiently, hoping he'd tell her his secret this time, unlike the rest where he pretended to not hear her because "he'd been thinking of something else".

Neji held out his right arm, palm up, not looking at her. TenTen grinned, taking his icy hand in her own two and pulling up the tape holding the wrappings on his palm. Carefully, somewhat convinced he had a bad injury that was years old, she undid the wrappings from his fingers to his elbow, getting even more horrified as she went. Various sizes of cuts with random deepness covered his sickly white skin, the red contrasting sharply. TenTen didn't want to seem more when she reached his elbow, bottom lip trembling.

"N-Neji-kun? You… cut? But… why? You're only ten! I thought only attention-craving teenagers cut themselves!" She said, letting his arm drop. The look in Neji's eyes was distant, like he really wasn't listening this time.

"My blood… I was told once the Hyuuga blood ran thicker in mine that anyone else's. I started when I was five, wanting to see if it looked any different than Hinata-hime's. It became… an obsession. My blood…" Neji stopped, a sick smirk on his face. There was hate present in his eyes now. He pulled a pocket knife from his pocket, quickly making another thin, red line appear on his wrist. Neji stared at it, looking transfixed for a moment, before bringing his wrist to his mouth and licking the few beads of blood away. For the first time in her life, TenTen honestly felt… scared of Neji. He had been pulled out of school not even half way into his first year on the principal's request, saying no one felt comfortable around him and he was causing a disturbance with the other children's learning. She had been warned not to go near the Hyuuga just because of his last name and because he was the supposed prodigy of his Clan, but she had ignored them, interested in him. Maybe this was why the other children avoided him… because they felt he was a bit suicidal?

"My blood isn't different than anyone else's except that it's cursed. Don't tell me you're frightened just by this, TenTen-san. You told me you were not scared of anything." Neji's cold, calculating eyes bore into hers, seeing the shock and fear. He let out a cruel chuckle (she just called it a chuckle to give it a human name), slowly wrapping his arm back up and leaving her. TenTen stopped visiting Neji on Sundays after that, wishing she'd never asked.

Seven years later, he reappeared in her life, now taller than her and much wider. His arms, both of them, were wrapped, but she couldn't tell if his legs were or not because of the uniform. Rumors spread about him even before the entrance ceremony began, none even close since no one expected a Hyuuga to be "a cutter". TenTen trembled slightly when he sat next to her in the classroom, eyeing him nervously. His eyes were still as cold as ever, the only thing that seemed to stay constant through the seven year gap.

With age, TenTen's eyes had grown a bit darker to the color of coffee with the cream just poured in. Her hair, though still up in two buns, had been permanently bleached from the sun from the original dark chocolate color to her current variously highlighted cinnamon brown shade. She was now around 169 centimeters instead of 153. TenTen had, of course, gotten a not-so-quite flat chest and slightly rounded hips, and her once round, childish face had sharper angles and a more heart-shaped look.

Neji was now a lanky boy most likely around 180 centimeters instead of 150. His hair looked a lot healthier than she remember, and a shade lighter to look like milk chocolate; not to mention that he didn't keep his bangs back in his old, traditional "ponytail" (she had no idea what to call it) and let them frame his slender face. It reached about to his elbows, too, much longer than she remembered. His features were sharper, though not in a gaunt way, like he ate more than when he wanted or had time to. Though still pale, his skin had a healthier look, like he went outside about every other day for a few minutes.

TenTen waited until their class headed to gym to talk to him. Though he was usually a brisk walker, he had to stay at the back of the pack since he had no idea where he was going, unlike the rest of his class.

"N—Hyuuga-san, I could take you there faster, if you wanted." TenTen said softly, eyeing his arms rather than his face.

"Did I really frighten you?" Caught by surprise, she looked up into his cool, unblinking gaze. She was surprised he still remembered and by the fact his voice was so deep (it used to be so high and girlish).

"… Yes, you did, Hyuuga-san." TenTen replied softly, avoiding his unnatural gaze. Somehow, it had gotten a colder look that when he just stared it felt like he was glaring. Or maybe he'd never really glared at her before, and his eyes had always been soft around her.

"Why?"

"WHY? Oh, Kami-sama, you ask WHY? Hyuuga, Ne—mffph." TenTen was stopped, mid screech, by his cold, bandaged hand covering her lips. His finger tips felt rough and calloused against her cheek, yet they felt much warmer than his palm.

"Don't scream. It' be very unwise of you to even think about yelling about that day in the middle of a practically empty hall where anyone in the classrooms can hear you." His voice was low and threatening, and his breath felt warm, unlike the rest of his body (minus his finger tips). She glared at him over his hand, wishing she could lick or bite him to make him let go, but she knew neither would make him.

"Come with me. Physical Education introduction is unimportant." Neji sighed, taking her wrist with his free one and slowly but surely dragging her, one hand still clamped over her mouth, to a secluded part of the courtyard.

"I will release you if you do not yell." He said, referring to the hand over her mouth since he knew she could have hit him with her free hand if she'd wished to. TenTen nodded, breathing deeply when he removed his hand. It had felt suffocating even though he hadn't pressed hard or anything.

"Hyuuga-san, a suicidal ten-year-old is enough to scare anyone away. Seriously, your arm was covered in marks, like it's natural color was red and not white. And only Kami-sama can imagine what you leg and biceps looked like if that was just your palm to your elbow." She retorted quietly, rubbing the wrist he had taken; she didn't like the feeling she had form his touch (she couldn't rub her lips in front of him or else he'd know she felt repulsed by him).

"I was never suicidal, only homicidal." Neji corrected, crossing his arms over his chest. TenTen couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head.

"Hyuuga-san, that's just as bad. You don't still… you know, do you?" She said, once her laughter had been contained, eyeing his arms for what seemed like the billionth time (and maybe it was).

"See for yourself." Neji said, holding out his right arm, somehow knowing she'd want to check that one first since it was the one that he'd had been cutting since the beginning. TenTen closed her eyes when she took his hand in hers, suddenly knowing it was déjà vu all over again. Slowly, with her eyes still closed, she unwrapped the Ace bandage up to his elbow again.

"If you are not going to look, then why have you bothered? Face your fears, TenTen-san." Neji said, starting to pull his arm away when TenTen dared to peek. Her jaw fell at the sight. There was only one cut. _One_. And it looked a few days old. She quickly grabbed his left and unwrapped it, too, eyebrows rising at the unmarred skin. Neji was smirking when she kneeled down and rolled his pants leg up to see it untouched by even bandages. TenTen looked up at him from her kneeling position, face openly portraying her shock.

"When you did not visit the next week, I didn't cut myself. The same thing happened a week later. It slowly progressed until I only felt bothered to see my blood one a week, then a month, and then never, and now the only reason why I have a cut is a dinner accident with Hanabi-sama. I did not wish to scare you, so I covered my arms." Neji said, eyes finally, slowly, resembling the one's she seen when he was ten. They were still cold, calculating, distant, and pale as hell, but relenting from the cold fire of nothingness she'd seen earlier.

"… Why?" TenTen asked simply, standing up. She knew cutting was a habit hard to stop, and yet he had, just because she stopped visiting him? That was hardly strong enough…

"You were my first and only friend. You approached me when others didn't. You became the light in my gloomy world. I wished for it to come back. That is also why I have come to this school. It took me years, but I stopped, and I won't be here for long. They will soon ship me off somewhere else once they figure out I'm not a normal child." Neji said simply, voice void of the emotions he said he'd felt. TenTen's eyebrows tilted downward, remembering his mind was way ahead of his age. She agreed silently with him that he'd be gone before she knew it, off to some prestigious college or another. It was obvious to her that he wanted to patch up the seven year gap between them.

"It will take time, you know. You can't really get over seeing your best friend suddenly showing his unstable mentality through the form of self-inflicted cuts." TenTen avoided his eyes again, unsure of what he'd do.

"I know you've always been repulsed by my touch. You have always felt the slightest bit of what everyone else has. Everything takes time. Perhaps in the next seven years, you will heal enough to not feel repulsed by me." TenTen grinned, almost laughing again.

"How ironic. You're being optimistic and I'm being cynical." She glanced at him to see him smirk.

"Don't get used to it. I still hate the human race with your exception." She laughed then, unable to help it. Neji's smirk fell, the only sign that she saw he was confused by her laughter. She took his hand again when she stopped laughing, feeling the rough, calloused alien-ness of it; she dropped it quickly, however, shivering slightly.

"Hyuuga-san, first you need to use lotion. That might help a bit."

**A/N**: _… :D? Well, uh… yeah, I've got nothing. Not the strongest NejiTen fanfic ever, but its still there in friendship at least. This is a new version of the fifth theme for the ten for NejiTen challenge from . since I'm very displeased with my crack-head attempts last year._


End file.
